Yorkshire’s Queen of Swing Clare Teal celebrates the music of her heroines, the leading lights of the jazz and big band world Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Doris Day and many of their illustrious contemporaries. The multi-award winning singer and BBC Radio 2 broadcaster, who grew up down the road in Kildwick, demonstrates the influence these characters have had on her own acclaimed catalogue of work. She is known for her knowledge and love of the Great American Songbook and more recently The Great British Songbook.

With wit and warmth Clare tells outrageous anecdotes of their extraordinary lives and points to the future of Diva-dom with a few relevant originals and more modern-day covers. From presenting her BBC Radio 2 shows, to supporting Liza Minnelli, to performing at the BBC Proms, Clare Teal has done a lot – which is how her concerts can cover such a huge spectrum of sounds and genres.

And although rooted in the jazz traditions of the 1930s and ‘40s, the main focus is on Clare’s interpretations and delivery of some of the greatest songs British songs of the last 100 years, from Ivor Novello and Noel Coward to Annie Lennox and Snow Patrol.

The two songs that started the whole project were Try A Little Tenderness and A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square.

“I had always assumed these to be American songs and was fascinated to learn that both were written by Americans and Brits working together,” said Clare.

Add to the mix an uplifting New Orleans take on Ray Noble’s Love Is The Sweetest Thing, a blistering samba arrangement of Moloko’s Sing It Back with Latin percussion section.

Clare is performing with Pee Wee Ellis and the Leeds Community Big Bandat the King’s Hall in Ilkley, as part of Ilkley Summer Festival, on Friday, August 23. Tickets are £19-25 with boxes at £100.

For tickets call (01943) 602319.